Check Your Pride at the Door is my personal story of learning to live with the physical and emotional aspects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for the past twenty years. I decided to tell my story with the hope of providing support and encouragement to those who suffer from IBD and other chronic illnesses. It has not been easy reflecting back over these years; I have shed some tears while thinking about the physical and emotional pain I have experienced and the difficulties this disease has caused for my family. However, the time I have spent looking back at my past also has allowed me to experience periods of great happiness, as I have been able to remember many personal accomplishments and good times with friends and family members.

In sharing my experiences related to IBD, I have recognized that people who do not have this disease have difficulty understanding how physically and emotionally devastating it can be. I also have found that I get a lot of blank stares when I try to explain IBD using the proper medical terminology. For this reason, I have learned that the first step in explaining my condition is to limit the use of medical jargon. You will not see a lot of references to specific medical terminology in the following chapters, as I have tried to take a user-friendly approach to my discussions and explanations of IBD. I also have learned that if people are to understand IBD, they need to know what it feels like to live with this disease on a daily basis. I hope that reading about my experiences will provide this insight.

Before going further, I must explain some basic facts about my disease. IBD can be defined basically as a medical condition that manifests itself in various forms of inflammation throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on the severity and location of this inflammation, the specific diagnosis could be either ulcerative colitis or Crohns disease (Crohns). So even though the term IBD is often used to describe a patients condition, the diagnosis most likely has been further categorized as some form of ulcerative colitis or Crohns. The effects of these conditions can be very similar; both may produce symptoms such as (but not limited to) increased bowel movements, intestinal cramping, abdominal pain, weight loss, blood in the stool, and decreased stamina. I have often explained that the effects of Crohns are similar to those of ulcerative colitis, but the two conditions usually affect different areas of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohns most often causes inflammation of the ileocecal region (the few inches where the small intestines join the large intestine) but can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract, while the inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis primarily affects the colon.

If you perform an Internet search for terms associated with IBD, Crohns, and ulcerative colitis, you will be overwhelmed with information. After scanning a few of these possibilities, it will become evident that a lot of time has been spent defining terms, medications, and procedures associated with these conditions. Some of the information you will find may include the most appropriate diets and short stories/personal reflections from those who have been diagnosed with these conditions. This wealth of information supports a growing awareness of IBD. In the past ten years, I have started to hear more about IBD, and now when I share that I have Crohns, most people at least tell me they have heard of it or ask whether it is similar to IBD or ulcerative colitis.

With this increase in awareness of IBD, is it important to provide even further information about this disease. The following statistics, retrieved in April 2006 from the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) Web page (http://www.ccfa.org/about/press/ibdfacts), show why this disease is a growing concern:



It is estimated that some1.4 million Americans suffer from IBD, with approximately 30,000 new cases diagnosed each year.



Anyone can get IBD, but adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and 35 are most susceptible. (Ten to 20 percent of those afflicted develop symptoms before the age of 18.)



The cause of IBD is unknown and there is no medical cure for these conditions, which can flare up without warning. Colectomy (surgical removal of the colon) cures ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease is incurable; its relapse rate is 75 to 80 percent.



Approximately 20 percent of patients have a family member with IBD, and families frequently share a similar pattern of disease.



According to a 1990 study, the medical costs of IBD in the United States totaled $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion annually. Surgery and inpatient care were estimated to account for roughly one-half of this amount. The disability costs of illness (lost labor productivity) were estimated to be $400 million to $800 million, making the total estimated annual cost of IBD $1.8 billion to $2.6 billion.



When I began doing research for this book, I thought about reviewing my medical records and detailing all my medical procedures, surgeries, and medications from the past twenty years. However, I decided to limit my discussion of much of the medical terminology, as there are many resources that do a wonderful job of describing the medical aspects of this disease. Knowing all you can about medications and procedures associated with IBD is very important, as it can help minimize the stress associated with these things. Therefore, I encourage everyone to review and monitor the extensive medical research related to IBD.